Local News

Sure enough, less than 24 hours later, a woman walked into the Eldredge Bros. Fly Shop in Maine and made a beeline toward a display of hackles — the long, skinny rooster feathers fishermen use to make lures.

"She brought a bunch up to the counter and asked if I could get them in pink," he said. "That's when I knew."

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — President Barack Obama sought Friday to draw attention to the auto industry's rebound with a visit to a Chrysler plant in politically important Ohio, even as a dismal new jobs report clouded his upbeat economic message.

Obama's stop in Toledo was the latest in a string of domestic trips to promote his jobs agenda and defend the much maligned government bailouts to Chrysler and General Motors. The president planned to speak to plant workers and local business owners about the significance of the industry's turnaround.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A federal grand jury charged two-time presidential candidate John Edwards on Friday with soliciting and covering up the secret spending of more than $925,000 to hide his mistress and their baby during the peak of his 2008 campaign for the White House.

The grand jury's indictment in the case of USA v. Johnny Reid Edwards contained six counts, including conspiracy, four counts of receiving illegal campaign contributions and one count of false statements.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani helicopters and artillery on Friday forced back militants who crossed over from Afghanistan this week and triggered battles that have killed scores of people, an official said. The government demanded that NATO and Afghan troops do more to control insurgents on their side of the long, porous border.

WASHINGTON – In a memo to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Bob Abbey, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today confirmed that, pursuant to the 2011 Continuing Resolution, the BLM will not designate any lands as “Wild Lands.”
He also outlined how the Department will work in collaboration with Members of Congress, states, tribes, and local communities to identify public lands that may be appropriate candidates for congressional protection under the Wilderness Act.
“The protection of America’s wilderness for hunting, fishing, and backcountry recreation should be a unifying issue that mobilizes us to a common purpose,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

SANTA FE — New Mexico’s state-operated museums and historical monuments are offering free admission this summer to active duty military and their families.
The Department of Cultural Affairs said it’s the second year the state will participate in a program created by the National Endowment for the Arts to honor military personnel.
The free admission started on Memorial Day and continues through Labor Day on Sept. 5.

WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-WI, sent a survey to major auto manufacturers to investigate whether the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to allow 15 percent ethanol (E15) could damage vehicle engines and impose additional costs on American drivers.
“The EPA prematurely approved an increase to the ethanol blend from 10 to 15 percent and left many questions unanswered about the effects of this fifty percent increase,” Sensenbrenner said.
“There are serious concerns that the increased blend could cause costly engine damage and reduce fuel efficiency. Consumers deserve to know about potentially negative effects of E15 on their vehicle’s engine.”

Kevin Smith, the manager of the NNSA’s Los Alamos Site Office, was the keynote speaker during Memorial Day ceremonies at Guaje Pines Cemetery Monday in Los Alamos. The color guard and a cub scout troop also were present.